O ensino de microbiologia por investigação na perspectiva CTSA: proposição de eixos temáticos sobre o papel dos microrganismos na culinária mineira para a educação básica

Abstract

This study addresses Microbiology teaching in basic education through the articulation between inquiry-based teaching and the Science, Technology, Society and Environment (STSE) approach, using Minas Gerais cuisine and the role of microorganisms in traditional foods and beverages as its contextual framework. The objective was to propose thematic axes that may support investigative pedagogical practices aimed at promoting scientific literacy and contextualizing Microbiology teaching. The research is qualitative and bibliographical in nature, grounded in theoretical references from Science Education related to inquiry-based teaching, scientific literacy, the STSE approach and food microbiology. The methodological path involved the survey and analysis of specialized literature, with the systematization of conceptual and didactic elements related to four thematic axes: artisanal Minas cheese, specialty coffee fermentation, cachaça and cocoa/chocolate fermentation. The results indicate that these themes have the potential to bring microbiological content closer to students’ sociocultural reality, fostering discussions about fermentation, food safety, artisanal production, biotechnology, cultural heritage and sustainability. In addition, the proposed approach contributes to overcoming a limited view of microorganisms as exclusively pathogenic agents, highlighting their importance in food-related, cultural, technological and environmental processes. It is concluded that the proposed thematic axes may serve as a basis for the future development of pedagogical booklets, investigative didactic sequences and other teaching strategies capable of articulating school science, regional culture and socioscientific issues in Science teaching.